pg_utl_smtp 2.0 adds async mode and TLS for PostgreSQL email notifications

Brief written by the FOSSWire AI editor from PostgreSQL How we write

October 18, 2026 1 min read 17 reads

Key Takeaway

The Oracle-compatible PostgreSQL extension pg_utl_smtp has released version 2.0 with asynchronous email sending, SSL/TLS support, and stricter SMTP error handling.

Summary

pg_utl_smtp 2.0.0 brings asynchronous email delivery to PostgreSQL, a capability not present in Oracle's original UTL_SMTP package. The release also adds SSL/TLS connections, fixes duplicate EHLO commands, and raises errors on SMTP failures during any protocol stage. The extension lets triggers and stored procedures send email directly, enabling data-driven alerts without application-layer involvement.

What's new in pg_utl_smtp 2.0

Asynchronous mode: New pg_utl_smtp.asynchronous setting enables non-blocking email sends, useful for porting MSSQL's sp_send_dbmail()
SSL/TLS support: secure_connection_before_smtp parameter encrypts SMTP connections
Stricter error handling: SMTP errors during HELO/EHLO, MAIL, RCPT, DATA, end-of-DATA, or QUIT now raise PostgreSQL errors instead of failing silently
Connection fixes: Eliminated duplicate EHLO at connection start; QUIT properly releases connection, second QUIT raises error
CI/testing: GitHub Actions regression tests added
Upgrade path: ALTER EXTENSION pg_utl_smtp UPDATE for existing installations

Why it matters

The async mode and TLS support make this extension more viable for production alerting pipelines. It remains particularly relevant for organizations migrating from Oracle or SQL Server to PostgreSQL who need to preserve database-driven email notification patterns.

Original reference: www.postgresql.org →